System and method for providing financial account rewards programs

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates generally to a system that provides zero, one or more benefits to a consumer in association with the consumer utilizing an instrument associated with a qualifying financial account to purchase goods and/or services, wherein an amount of any benefits may be disproportionate to the value of the purchased goods and/or services.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation of, claims the benefit of andpriority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/031,045, filed on Jul.10, 2018, the entire contents of which is incorporated by referenceherein.

BACKGROUND

Certain credit card rewards programs enable members to earn rewards ofsome form that accumulate at a percentage of the amount spent usingtheir credit cards. For example, a consumer may earn 1% cashback on allretail purchases made using a credit card affiliated with that creditcard rewards program. In another example, a consumer may earn points onretail purchases made using a credit card affiliated with that creditcard rewards program. In this example, once a certain threshold ofpoints is reached, the points can be redeemed for a free plane ticket orother goods. While such credit card rewards programs are popular withconsumers, the rewards provided to a consumer are proportional to theamount that the consumer spends.

SUMMARY

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a systemincluding a processor, and a memory device which stores a plurality ofinstructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processorto maintain a progressive award pool, and randomly determine aprogressive award triggering event associated with the progressive awardpool. When executed by the processor responsive to receiving data of anapproved purchase associated with a financial account maintained by afinancial institution, the instructions cause the processor to incrementthe progressive award pool based on a purchase contribution rateassociated with the progressive award pool and an amount of the approvedpurchase. Additionally, when executed by the processor responsive to theapproved purchase being associated with an occurrence of the randomlydetermined progressive award triggering event, the instructions causethe processor to determine, based on the incremented progressive awardpool, an amount of a progressive award, and cause the amount of theprogressive award to be provided to a customer associated with thefinancial account.

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a systemincluding a processor, and a memory device which stores a plurality ofinstructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processorto maintain a progressive award pool, and randomly determine aprogressive award triggering event associated with the progressive awardpool. When executed by the processor responsive to receiving data of anapproved purchase associated with a financial account maintained by afinancial institution, the instructions cause the processor to incrementthe progressive award pool based on a purchase contribution rateassociated with the progressive award pool and an amount of the approvedpurchase. Additionally, when executed by the processor responsive to theapproved purchase being associated with an occurrence of the randomlydetermined progressive award triggering event, the instructions causethe processor to determine, based on the incremented progressive awardpool, an amount of a progressive award, associate a game entry with thedetermined amount of the progressive award, and cause a customerassociated with the approved purchase to be provided the game entry.

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a systemincluding a processor, and a memory device which stores a plurality ofinstructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processorto: maintain a progressive award pool associated with a plurality ofcredit card accounts, and randomly determine a progressive awardtriggering event associated with the progressive award pool. Whenexecuted by the processor responsive to receiving data of an approvedretail purchase associated with one of the credit card accountsoccurring at a point-of-sale terminal, the instructions cause theprocessor to increment the progressive award pool based on a purchasecontribution rate associated with the progressive award pool and anamount of the approved retail purchase. Additionally, when executed bythe processor responsive to the approved retail purchase beingassociated with an occurrence of the randomly determined progressiveaward triggering event, the instructions cause the processor to:determine, based on the incremented progressive award pool, an amount ofa progressive award, communicate data which results in a display deviceassociated with the point-of-sale terminal displaying the amount of theprogressive award, and communicate fund transfer data which results inthe amount of the progressive award being associated with the creditcard account associated with the approved retail purchase.

Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will beapparent from the following Detailed Description and the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a flow chart an example process for operating a system whichprovides an award in association with a financial rewards incentiveprogram wherein the award may be disproportionate to the amount theconsumer spends using an instrument associated with a qualifyingfinancial account to purchase goods and/or services.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are example configurations of the architecture of aplurality of different components of the system disclosed herein.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are example graphical user interfaces displayed inconnection with the system disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In various embodiments, the system disclosed herein provides zero, oneor more benefits to a consumer in association with the consumerutilizing an instrument associated with a qualifying financial accountto purchase goods and/or services, wherein an amount of any benefits maybe disproportionate to the value of the purchased goods and/or services.In these embodiments, upon a progressive award pool contribution event,such as a consumer using a qualifying financial instrument, such as acredit card or debit card, associated with a financial account topurchase goods and/or services (i.e., a qualifying retail spend), thesystem contributes a portion of an amount of the purchased goods and/orservices to a progressive award pool. For example, if a consumerpurchases $100 worth of goods using a credit card associated with a 1%rewards program, the system contributes $1 to a progressive award poolassociated with each of the credit cards participating in the rewardprogram.

Upon a progressive award triggering event, such as upon the progressiveaward pool reaching a randomly determined amount or after a randomlydetermined point in time, the system determines which purchasetransaction is associated with the progressive award triggering event.The system then associates such a purchase transaction with theprogressive award triggering event at the time of (or within adesignated period of time of) the purchase. As such, the system of thepresent disclosure provides that a first set of zero, one or morequalifying purchases are associated with an occurrence of a progressiveaward pool contribution event but are not associated with anyoccurrences of a progressive award triggering event while a second setof one or more qualifying purchases are associated with both anoccurrence of a progressive award pool contribution event and anoccurrence of a progressive award triggering event. Following thedetermination of which purchase transaction is associated with theprogressive award triggering event, the system either notifies theconsumer that they have won part or all of the maintained progressiveaward pool or notifies the consumer that they may have won part or allof the maintained progressive award pool and one or more subsequentactions need to be taken by the consumer.

In certain embodiments, this notification occurs independent of anyaction by the consumer, such as displaying to the consumer at apoint-of-sale terminal and/or sending an electronic communication (e.g.,an email or short message service message), one or more messagesindicating that the consumer has won the progressive award inassociation with their purchase transaction. For example, if a consumerpurchases $200 worth of goods using a credit card associated with a 2%rewards program and the $4 contributed to a progressive award poolcaused the progressive award pool to increment to a randomly determinedamount of $35,888,975.15, the system causes a display device associatedwith the point-of-sale terminal to display a notification to theconsumer that they are the lucky winner of a progressive award of$35,888,975.15 associated with their purchase.

In certain other embodiments, this notification occurs following atleast one action by the consumer, such as the consumer redeeming awinning game entry associated with the purchase transaction by playing agame, such as an online game or a mobile game, wherein the predeterminedaward for the play of the game is part or all of the maintainedprogressive award pool. For example, if a consumer purchases $250 worthof goods using a credit card associated with a 2% rewards program toincrement the progressive award pool to $35,888,975.15 and the systemdetermines that the consumer's purchase was the first qualifyingpurchase which occurred after a randomly determined point in time, thesystem notifies the consumer that they have earned 500 game tickets toaccess 500 plays of an online game (wherein one of the game tickets ispredetermined as a winning ticket associated with a progressive award of$35,888,975.15).

As such and unlike other financial account rewards programs wherein therewards provided to a consumer are proportional to the amount that theconsumer spends, the system disclosed herein provides rewards that aredisproportional to the amount that the consumer spends. Thisconfiguration thus introduces an element of risk to a financial accountrewards program by enabling consumers to potentially obtain lifechanging awards otherwise not available from existing financial accountrewards programs.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an example process or method of operating thesystem of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the process isrepresented by a set of instructions stored in one or more memories andexecuted by one or more processors. Although the process is describedwith reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 1, many other processes ofperforming the acts associated with this illustrated process may beemployed. For example, the order of certain of the illustrated blocks ordiamonds may be changed, certain of the illustrated blocks or diamondsmay be optional, or certain of the illustrated blocks or diamonds maynot be employed.

In various embodiments, the system includes a progressive award serverwhich maintains a progressive award pool associated with a plurality offinancial accounts corresponding to a plurality of consumers asindicated in block 102 of FIG. 1. As described below, the maintainedprogressive award pool starts or resets at a reset amount or level andincrements based on contributions associated with portions of amounts ofgoods and/or services purchased in association with the plurality offinancial accounts.

In certain embodiments, each of the progressive award pools associatedwith different rewards programs have the same progressive award poolreset value. In certain embodiments, a plurality of the progressiveaward pools associated with different rewards programs have differentprogressive award pool reset values. In these embodiments, the differentprogressive award pool reset values are different reward programbenefits associated with a customer choosing one financial account(e.g., one credit card account enrolled in one credit card rewardsprogram) over another financial account (e.g., another credit cardaccount enrolled in another credit card rewards program).

In certain embodiments, each of the progressive award pools associatedwith different rewards programs have the same purchase contribution rate(i.e., the percentage or portion of the amount of the purchase price ofa good and/or service which is added to the progressive award pool). Incertain embodiments, a plurality of the progressive award poolsassociated with different rewards programs have different purchasecontribution rates. In these embodiments, the different purchasecontribution rates are different reward program benefits associated witha customer choosing one financial account over another financialaccount. For example, a credit card which contributes 2% of the purchaseprice of a qualifying good and/or service to a progressive award poolmay be deemed by certain customers as having a more lucrative rewardsprogram than a credit card which contributes 1% of the purchase price ofa qualifying good and/or service to a progressive award pool.

In one embodiment, the progressive award server maintains a singleprogressive award pool in association with a first set of financialaccounts, such as credit card accounts, affiliated with a single rewardsprogram. For example, each credit card account of Bank A that isaffiliated with a mystery sweepstakes rewards program is associated witha single progressive award pool. In another embodiment, the progressiveaward server maintains a plurality of progressive award pools inassociation with a first set of financial accounts, such as credit cardaccounts, affiliated with a single rewards program. Such an embodimentenables multiple mystery sweepstakes to be run at the same time for thesame set of financial accounts.

In another embodiment, the progressive award server maintains a singleprogressive award pool in association with a plurality of different setsof financial accounts, such as credit card accounts, affiliated with aplurality of different rewards programs. For example, each credit cardaccount of Bank A that is affiliated with a mystery sweepstakes rewardsprogram as well as each credit card account of Bank B that is affiliatedwith a mystery sweepstakes rewards program is associated with a singleprogressive award pool. In another embodiment, the progressive awardserver maintains a plurality of progressive award pools in associationwith a plurality of different sets of financial accounts, such as creditcard accounts, affiliated with a plurality of different rewardsprograms. Such embodiments enable the progressive award pool topotentially grow in value relatively rapidly. That is, there areapproximately 176,000,000 credit card accounts in the United States andthe average spend per month on a credit card account associated with arewards program is $890 per consumer. As such, if the system disclosedherein becomes associated with 10,000,000 credit card accounts (i.e.,less than 6% of the total quantity of existing credit card accounts),then based on the $890 per consumer monthly credit card spend and a 1%purchase contribution rate, it would take slightly over a month (i.e.,1.12 months) for the progressive award pool to reach $100,000,000 andslightly over eleven months (i.e., 11.23 months) for the progressiveaward pool to reach $1,000,000,000. Accordingly, in exchange forforgoing the relatively small rewards benefits customers currentlyreceive, the system disclosed herein provides the opportunity to winlife-altering progressive awards in association with using a credit cardto make one or more purchases.

In another embodiment, the progressive award server maintains aprogressive award pool associated with different contribution ratesbased on the merchant whom sold the qualifying good and/or service(which is funded by the manufacturer of the purchased good, the providerof the purchased service, the consumer and/or a third party). Forexample, qualifying purchases made at a first merchant are associatedwith a contribution rate of 1% of the purchase price and qualifyingpurchases made at a second, different merchant are associated with acontribution rate of 2% of the purchase price.

In another embodiment, the progressive award server maintains aplurality of progressive award pools in association with differentmerchants participating in the rewards program. In this embodiment, theprogressive award server maintains a first progressive award pool for afirst set of merchants whom enable consumers to purchase goods and/orservices using a set of financial accounts, such as credit card accountsand further maintains a second progressive award pool for a second,different set of merchants whom enable consumers to purchase goodsand/or services using the set of financial accounts, such as credit cardaccounts. In certain such embodiments, the different progressive awardpools are associated with different reset values and/or differentpurchase contribution rates (funded by the merchant, the consumer and/ora third party) to entice consumers to purchase the goods and/or servicesat one merchant over another merchant.

In another embodiment, the progressive award server maintains aprogressive award pool associated with different contribution ratesbased on the type of qualifying good and/or service (which is funded bythe manufacturer of the purchased good, the provider of the purchasedservice, the consumer and/or a third party). For example, qualifyingpurchases of a first type of qualifying good and/or service areassociated with a contribution rate of 1% of the purchase price andqualifying purchases of a second, different type of qualifying goodand/or service are associated with a contribution rate of 2% of thepurchase price.

In another embodiment, the progressive award server maintains aplurality of progressive award pools in association with different typesof qualifying purchased goods and/or services. In this embodiment, theprogressive award server maintains a first progressive award pool for afirst set of qualifying goods and/or services purchased using a set offinancial accounts, such as credit card accounts and further maintains asecond progressive award pool for a second, different set of qualifyinggoods and/or services purchased using the set of financial accounts,such as credit card accounts. In certain such embodiments, the differentprogressive award pools are associated with different reset valuesand/or different purchase contribution rates (funded by the manufacturerof the purchased good, the provider of the purchased service, theconsumer and/or a third party) to entice consumers to purchase one typeof goods and/or services over another type of goods and/or services.

In another embodiment, the progressive award server maintains aprogressive award pool associated with different contribution ratesbased on the value amounts of qualifying purchased goods and/or services(which are funded by the manufacturer of the purchased good, theprovider of the purchased service, the consumer and/or a third party).For example, qualifying purchases under $999.99 are associated with acontribution rate of 1% of the purchase price and qualifying purchasesover $1000.00 are associated with a contribution rate of 2% of thepurchase price.

In another embodiment, the progressive award server maintains aplurality of progressive award pools in association with differentamounts of qualifying purchased goods and/or services. In thisembodiment, the progressive award server maintains a first progressiveaward pool for qualifying goods and/or services valued within a firstvalue range which are purchased using a set of financial accounts, suchas credit card accounts and further maintains a second progressive awardpool for qualifying goods and/or services valued within a second,different value range which are purchased using the set of financialaccounts, such as credit card accounts. In certain such embodiments, thedifferent progressive award pools are associated with different resetvalues and/or different purchase contribution rates (funded by themanufacturer of the purchased good, the provider of the purchasedservice, the consumer and/or a third party).

In addition to maintaining a progressive award pool, upon an occurrenceof a progressive award pool contribution event associated with afinancial account associated with the maintained progressive award pool,the progressive award server contributes an amount to the maintainedprogressive award pool as indicated in block 104.

In certain embodiments, a progressive award contribution event includesa consumer using a qualifying financial instrument, such as a creditcard, associated with a financial account to purchase goods and/orservices (i.e., a qualifying retail spend). In these embodiments, uponthe occurrence of the progressive award contribution event, the systemcontributes an amount to the progressive award pool equal to a portionor percentage of an amount of the purchased goods and/or services. Forexample, if a consumer purchases $100 worth of goods using a credit cardassociated with a 1% rewards program (i.e., a 1% purchase contributionrate) at a point-of-sale terminal, the system contributes $1 to aprogressive award pool associated with each of the credit cardsparticipating in the reward program.

More specifically and as described in relation to the various componentsof FIG. 2A, following the consumer's attempt to use a qualifyingfinancial instrument, such as a credit card, at a point-of-sale terminal202 in a retail establishment, the point-of-sale terminal communicatesthe purchase request to a banking network server 204, such as a creditcard network server. The purchase request includes informationassociated with the attempted transaction, such as, but not limited to,the time and date of the attempted purchase, the amount of the attemptedpurchase, merchant identifying information, and financial accountidentifying information. The banking network server in turn communicatesthe information associated with the attempted transaction to a server ofthe financial institution which issued the financial instrument 206(i.e., the issuer financial institution server), such as the issuer bankserver or issuer credit union server.

The issuer financial institution server then proceeds with approving ordenying the attempted purchase. If the issuer financial institutionserver denies the attempted purchase, such as if the issuer financialinstitution server detects that the transaction may be fraudulent or ifthe issuer financial institution server determines that the amount ofthe attempted purchase exceeds a credit limit associated with thefinancial account, the issuer financial institution server communicatesa denial of the transaction to the point-of-sale terminal through thebanking network server. On the other hand, if the issuer financialinstitution server approves the attempted purchase, the issuer financialinstitution server communicates an approval of the transaction to thepoint-of-sale terminal through the banking network server. If the issuerfinancial institution server approves the attempted purchase, the issuerfinancial institution server also updates the financial accountassociated with the approved purchase (i.e., to reflect the purchase)and communicates fund transfer data associated with the amount of theapproved purchase to a merchant bank server 208 (i.e., a server of thefinancial institution associated with the retail establishment) whichupdates one or more financial accounts associated with the retailestablishment to reflect the amount of the approved purchase.

In addition to approving or denying the attempted purchase, if theissuer financial institution server 206 approves the attempted purchase(i.e., an occurrence of a progressive award contribution event), theissuer financial institution server communicates the approved amount ofthe purchase to the progressive award server 210. The progressive awardserver then contributes a determined amount to the maintainedprogressive award pool, wherein the determined amount is based on theapproved amount of the purchase and the purchase contribution rateassociated with the applicable rewards program. For example, if aconsumer purchases $100 worth of goods using a credit card associatedwith a 1% rewards program (i.e., a 1% purchase contribution rate) at apoint-of-sale terminal, the progressive award server contributes $1 to aprogressive award pool associated with each of the credit cardsparticipating in the reward program.

In one embodiment, the purchase contribution rate represents the entirebenefit of the rewards program. In another embodiment, the purchasecontribution rate is part, but not all, of the reward program benefits.In this embodiment, a rewards program includes both a purchasecontribution rate and a reward earning rate. For example, a credit cardor debit card with a reward total of 2% of the purchase price of aqualifying good and/or service includes contributing 1% of the purchaseprice of a qualifying good and/or service to a progressive award pooland providing the customer 1% cash back of the purchase price of thequalifying good and/or service.

In another embodiment, in addition to or alternatively from the systemcontributing to a progressive award pool part of the approved purchaseprice of a qualifying purchase made using a customer's credit card, thesystem contributes to the progressive award pool part of an amountdeposited onto a pre-paid debit card. In this embodiment, the consumeris still provided one or more opportunities to win the progressive award(in association with the loading of funds onto the pre-paid debit card)while the retail establishment avoids having to pay per-purchasetransaction fees associated with each of the transactions made using thepre-paid debit card.

Following the contribution of an amount to the progressive award pool,the progressive award server determines if a progressive awardtriggering event occurred in association with approved purchase asindicated in diamond 106. The progressive award triggering event of thisillustrated embodiment is a mystery event whereby the system does notprovide any apparent reasons to the consumers for a progressive awardtriggering event to occur. In these embodiments, such determinations arenot triggered by an event (beyond the purchase of goods and/or services)displayed to the consumer and the progressive award triggering eventoccurs without any explanation or alternatively with simpleexplanations.

In certain embodiments, the progressive award triggering event is basedon an amount of the maintained progressive award pool. In thisembodiment, the progressive award server determines if an amount of theprogressive award pool reaches or exceeds a threshold amount, such as anamount randomly determined from a value range. Upon the amount of theprogressive award pool reaching or exceeding the threshold amount, theprogressive award server determines that the progressive awardtriggering event has occurred in association with a purchase made, usinga financial instrument, such as a credit card or a debit card,associated with a financial account enrolled in the rewards program.

In another embodiment, a progressive award triggering event occurs basedon time. In this embodiment, a time is set, such as via the randomselection of a point in time within a designated period of time from thecurrent point in time, for when a progressive award triggering eventwill occur. When that set time has elapsed, the progressive award serverdetermines that the progressive award triggering event has occurred inassociation with a purchase made at or around that point in time, usinga financial instrument, such as a credit card or debit card, associatedwith a financial account enrolled in the rewards program. For example,the progressive award server determines that the first purchase made,after a randomly determined point in time has been reached, using afinancial instrument, such as a credit card or a debit card, associatedwith a financial account enrolled in the rewards program is associatedwith the progressive award triggering event.

In another embodiment, a progressive award triggering event is based onan amount of the maintained progressive award pool reaching or exceedinga threshold amount and a set point in time having been reached. In thisembodiment, upon the amount of the progressive award pool reaching orexceeding the threshold amount after a set point in time, theprogressive award server determines that the progressive awardtriggering event has occurred in association with a purchase made, usinga financial instrument, such as a credit card or debit card, associatedwith a financial account enrolled in the rewards program. In thisembodiment, upon the amount of the progressive award pool reaching orexceeding the threshold amount before a set point in time has beenreached, then the progressive award server waits for that point in timesuch that when that set time has been reached, the progressive awardserver determines that the progressive award triggering event hasoccurred in association with a purchase made at or around that point intime, using a financial instrument, such as a credit card or debit card,associated with a financial account enrolled in the rewards program.

In another alternative embodiment, a progressive award triggering eventoccurs based on a predefined variable reaching a defined parameterthreshold. In different embodiments, the predefined parameter thresholdsinclude a length of time, a length of time after a certain amount hasbeen contributed to the progressive award pool, a number of differentcredit cards used, a number of different participating consumers, or anyother parameter that defines a suitable threshold. For example, when athreshold quantity of transactions, such as a randomly determinedquantity of purchases have occurred by customers using a financialinstrument, such as a credit card or debit card, associated with afinancial account enrolled in the rewards program, the progressive awardserver determines that a progressive award triggering event hasoccurred. In this example, the progressive award server determines thatthe purchase made using a financial instrument, such as a credit card ordebit card, associated with a financial account enrolled in the rewardsprogram which caused the tracked quantity of transactions to reach thethreshold quantity of transactions is associated with the progressiveaward triggering event.

In another alternative embodiment, a progressive award triggering eventoccurs based upon defined eligibility parameters associated with one ormore individual customers. For example, when the one or more individualcustomers satisfy the eligibility parameters, such as make a randomlydetermined number of transactions using their credits cards which areenrolled in the rewards program, the progressive award server selectsthe next purchase made using a credit card enrolled in the rewardsprogram (regardless of if that purchase is associated with the one ormore individual consumers) and determines that the progressive awardtriggering event occurs in association with that next purchase.

In another alternative embodiment, a progressive award triggering eventoccurs based on a determination of if any numbers allotted to atransaction match a randomly selected number. In this embodiment, uponthe progressive award server contributing to the progressive award basedon an approved purchase, the progressive award server selects a randomnumber from a range of numbers. In this embodiment, the progressiveaward server also allocates the first N numbers in the range, where N isthe amount of the approved purchase. The progressive award server thencompares the randomly selected number with the numbers allocated to theapproved purchase and if a match occurs, a progressive award triggeringevent occurs in association with the approved purchase.

It should be appreciated that any suitable manner of causing aprogressive award triggering event to occur may be implemented inaccordance with the system and method disclosed herein. It should befurther appreciated that any of the above-described progressive awardtriggering events may be combined in one or more different embodiments.

Returning to FIG. 1, if the progressive award server determines that aprogressive award triggering event does not occur in association withthe approved purchase, the progressive award server awaits for anotheroccurrence of the progressive award pool contribution event associatedwith a financial account associated with the maintained progressiveaward pool as described above and indicated in block 104. For example,if the contribution to the progressive award pool associated with theapproved purchase did not cause progressive award pool to increment tothe threshold value associated with the progressive award triggeringevent, the progressive award server awaits for another qualifyingpurchase to cause another contribution to the progressive award pool asdescribed herein.

On the other hand, if the progressive award server determines that aprogressive award triggering event occurred in association with theapproved purchase, the progressive award server determines the amount ofthe progressive award and proceeds to reset the progressive award poolto a reset value associated with the progressive award pool as indicatedin block 108. Following this reset of the progressive award pool, thesystem notifies the customer that they are the winner of a progressiveaward associated with their approved purchase as indicated in block 110.

In one embodiment, the progressive award server communicates data to thepoint-of-sale terminal (through the issuer financial institution serverand the banking network server) which displays one or more progressiveaward win messages to the consumer. For example, as seen in FIG. 3A, thepoint-of-sale terminal displays a message informing the consumer thatthey have won a progressive award valued at $36,117,331.17. In anotherembodiment, the progressive award server additionally or alternativelycommunicates data to a signage server which communicates one or moreprogressive award win messages to one or more signs or display devicesassociated with the point-of-sale terminal.

In another embodiment, as seen in FIG. 2A, the progressive award serveradditionally or alternatively communicates data to a notification server212 which communicates one or more progressive award win messages to theconsumer in any suitable manner, such as through telephone, e-mail, SMSor text messages, banner messages in mobile device application, socialmedia postings, website postings or any other suitable medium. Forexample, as seen in FIGS. 2A and 3B, the notification server sends anSMS message to the customer's mobile device 214 which displays a messagethat they have won a progressive award valued at $36,117,331.17. Itshould be appreciated that while the notification of the benefit, suchas a progressive award, is illustrated as being conveyed via a mobiledevice, in various embodiments, the notification of the benefit may beconveyed via any suitable devices, such as one or more display devices(i.e., overhead displays at a retail location), and/or one or more audiodevices (i.e., a retail location speaker system).

In addition to notifying the customer that they have won the progressiveaward in association with the approved purchase using a financialinstrument, such as a credit card or a debit account, associated with afinancial account enrolled in the rewards program, the system causes thedetermined progressive award to be provided to the consumer as indicatedin block 112 of FIG. 1. In certain embodiments, the progressive awardserver transfers data associated with an amount of funds of theprogressive award to the issuer financial institution server. The issuerfinancial institution server then proceeds to provide the customer theamount of funds of the progressive award via issuing the customer theamount of the progressive award or crediting the customer's account withthe amount of the progressive award.

In certain embodiments, as described above, upon a determination that aconsumer has won a progressive award in association with a qualifyingpurchase, the system notifies the consumer and funds one or moreconsumer accounts with the progressive award. In certain embodiments,the system requires the consumer to take one or more actions to beprovided the progressive award (which the system has already determinedthe consumer has won). In certain of these embodiments, the systemnotifies the consumer that they won the progressive award via the playof one or more games. In these embodiments, in association with thequalifying purchase, the system causes one or more game entries, such astickets or ticket codes, to be provided to the customer. In certainembodiments, the point-of-sale terminal where the qualifying purchaseoccurred prints one or more game entries for the customer. In certainother embodiments, the system, such as a game entry engine which storesthe game entries and any awards associated with such game entries,communicates one or more game entries (or a notification regarding aquantity of accumulated game entries) to the consumer in any suitablemanner, such as through telephone, e-mail, SMS or text messages, abanner message in a mobile device application of a mobile device, asocial media posting, a website posting, or any other suitable medium.

In operation, following the accumulation of one or more game entries,the customer redeems the game entry to view a play of a game.Specifically, the customer plays one or more plays of one or more gamesin association with the redemption of a quantity of game entries whereinan available award for the play of the game is winning the progressiveaward. For example, as seen in FIG. 2B, if a consumer is required toplay a game to determine if they've won the progressive award associatedwith the reward program, the consumer redeems one or more game entries,over a suitable wired or wireless data network, using a personal gamingdevice (such as a mobile device 214, a desktop computer 216, laptopcomputer, tablet computer or computing device, personal digitalassistant) to play an online slot game (accessed via a website 218, viaan application executed on the customer's mobile device or via a servicewindow of an electronic gaming machine) facilitated by an online gameengine 220. In these embodiments, if the displayed game outcome isassociated with the progressive award, the customer is informed of theprogressive award win (as seen in FIG. 3C) and the amount of theprogressive award is deposited into the customer's credit card account(or sent to the consumer via other suitable payment avenues, such as anelectronic payment, or as a physical check).

In certain embodiments, the system enables the customer to play the gameto determine whether or not they won the progressive award. In certainother embodiments, the system enables (or even requires) the customer tomake one or more inputs in association with the play of the game todetermine whether or not they won the progressive award. For example,the system employs a play of a skill-based game wherein the customer isrequired to make one or more correct skill inputs (i.e., quantifiableinputs which tend to measure one or more aspects of the customer'sskill), such as passing a level of a skill-based game, in associationwith the redemption of a game entry associated with winning aprogressive award. In different embodiments, skill includes one or moreof: (i) physical skill, such as, but not limited to: timing, aim,physical strength or any combination thereof which is quantifiable byzero, one or more inputs made; (ii) mental skill (i.e., knowledge,reasoning, and/or strategy) which is quantifiable by one or more inputsmade (or the lack of any inputs made); and (iii) any other type of skillwhich is quantifiable by one or more inputs made (or the lack of anyinputs made).

In various embodiments, the customer utilizes one or more skill inputdevices to make one or more quantifiable skill inputs. Examples of skillinput devices include, but are not limited to: mobile devices, such as apersonal gaming device (as described below), joysticks, buttons, a mouseor a plurality of mice, one or more trackballs, one or more pointingdevices, one or more bodily motion trackers such as motion sensingdevices for human-computer interaction, touchpads, touchscreens, one ormore controllers with: (1) one or more motion sensing devices, (2) oneor more proximity sensing devices, (3) one or more force sensing devices(transducers), (4) one or more accelerometers, or any other suitableskill input devices. In these embodiments, by making one or morequantifiable skill inputs, the customer manipulates, influences orotherwise controls one or more aspects of the skill-based game. Incertain such embodiments, the system employs one or more physics enginesin association with the skill inputs. In various embodiments, theskill-based game is any game, including but not limited to: a shootingsimulation game, a racing game, a pinball game, a maze or trail game, acollection game, and/or a coin-pusher game.

In different embodiments, the game played in association with a redeemedgame entry is any suitable game including, but not limited to: a play ofany suitable slot game; a play of any suitable wheel game; a play of anysuitable card game; a play of any suitable offer and acceptance game; aplay of any suitable award ladder game; a play of any suitablepuzzle-type game; a play of any suitable persistence game; a play of anysuitable selection game; a play of any suitable cascading symbols game;a play of any suitable ways to win game; a play of any suitable scatterpay game; a play of any suitable coin-pusher game; a play of anysuitable elimination game; a play of any suitable stacked wilds game; aplay of any suitable trail game; a play of any suitable bingo game; aplay of any suitable video scratch-off game; a play of any suitablepick-until-complete game; a play of any suitable shooting simulationgame; a play of any suitable racing game; a play of any suitablepromotional game; a play of any suitable high-low game; a play of anysuitable lottery game; a play of any suitable number selection game; aplay of any suitable dice game; a play of any suitable skill game; aplay of any suitable auction game; a play of any suitablereverse-auction game; and/or a play of any suitable group game.

It should be appreciated that the game entry associated with winning theprogressive award is determined in association with the occurrence ofthe progressive award triggering event (and not during any play of anygame associated with a redemption of one or more game entries) such thatplaying the game functions purely as a delivery mechanism to inform theconsumer whether or not they won the progressive award. It should befurther appreciated that in certain embodiments, game entries may beredeemed in association with one or more activities beyond making aqualified purchase with an eligible financial account. In one suchembodiment, game entries may be obtained by sending a self-addressedstamped envelope to a mailing address to the rewards programadministrator. In this embodiment, the rewards program administrator maythen send one or more game entries per self-addressed stamped envelope,wherein such game entries are redeemable as described above to determinewhether or not they are associated with the progressive award. Inanother such embodiment, game entries may be obtained via requiring theconsumer to show up to a physical location to obtain one or more gameentries and/or fill out a survey to obtain one or more game entries.

In certain embodiments, based on the historical spending levels ofcertain consumers, the system enables a plurality of game entries to beredeemed at the same time in association with a play of a game, whereinthe total winnings from the game play represents the total winnings fromeach of the redeemed game entries. For example, since, as describedabove, the average spend per month on a credit card account associatedwith a rewards program is $890 per consumer, assuming each $1 spentearns the customer a game entry, rather than requiring the customer toredeem, on average, 890 game entries a month, the system enables acustomer to redeem multiple game entries in association with one or moreplays of the game.

In certain embodiments wherein the customer is not provided theprogressive award until the customer redeems a game entry associatedwith the progressive award, certain timing discrepancies may occur dueto the customer's delayed redemption of one or more game entries. In oneembodiment, if the winning consumer has not claimed the progressiveaward via redeeming a game entry associated with the progressive award,then the system directs contributions into a rollover or escrow pool. Inthis embodiment, if the customer redeems the game entry associated withthe progressive award within a designated period of time, such as by acertain date, then the system funds the progressive award from thecontributions rolled over into the escrow pool. On the other hand, ifthe consumer does not redeem the game entry associated with theprogressive award within the designated period of time, such as by thecertain date, then the system rolls the unclaimed progressive award intothe next progressive award pool. In one such embodiment, the customermay still redeem the game entry associated with the progressive awardand collect the progressive award from the next progressive award pool.In another such embodiment, part or all of the unclaimed progressiveaward is made available to another customer in association with anotherqualifying purchase. In another such embodiment, part or all of theunclaimed progressive award is returned to the company or companiesmanaging the rewards program. In these embodiments wherein the unclaimedprogressive award is provided to another consumer and/or the companymanaging the rewards program, the system notifies the consumers that allof their existing game entries are no longer eligible, and that new gameentries are required to be eligible to win the next progressive poolaward amount.

In another embodiment wherein a consumer has won a progressive award,but that customer has not claimed or redeemed the game entry associatedwith the progressive award, regardless of the progressive award not yetbeing provided, the system resets the progressive award pool to a resetvalue and begins taking contributions from new qualifying purchases. Inanother embodiment wherein a consumer has won a progressive award, butthat customer has not claimed or redeemed the game entry associated withthe progressive award, the system waits until the progressive award hasbeen claimed to reset the progressive award pool to a reset value,wherein contributions from new qualifying purchases are directed toanother progressive award pool.

In another embodiment, the system enables a customer to redeem prioraccumulated credit card account points for game entries. That is, toincentive a customer to join the rewards program disclosed herein, thesystem enables a customer to transfer a quantity of points associatedwith one financial account, such as airline miles or points otherwiseredeemable for goods and/or services, to another financial accountwherein the transferred quantity of points are redeemed for one or moregame entries.

In certain embodiments, the system associates a qualifying purchase withone rewards program to potentially win one progressive award. In otherembodiments, the system associates a qualifying purchase with aplurality of rewards programs to potentially win a plurality ofprogressive awards. For example, for a credit card account with a 2%rewards rate, the system contributes 1% of the purchase price of thequalifying good and/or service to a first maintained progressive awardpool and also contributes 1% of the purchase price of the qualifyinggood and/or service to a second, different maintained progressive awardpool.

In certain embodiments, a progressive award pool is associated with aplurality of progressive award triggering events which occur. Forexample, the system associates a progressive award pool with a pluralityof randomly selected threshold values wherein an award is provided to acustomer each time the progressive award pool increments to one of therandomly selected threshold values. In this example, while the systemprovides a customer a progressive award when the progressive award poolincrements to a designated one of the randomly selected thresholdvalues, such as the highest threshold value, the system provides thecustomer one or more non-progressive awards (such as a static prizeamount, a non-cash prize, such as a vacations, a cars, or items of valueat partner gaming establishments, such as free play, points, orpromotional credits) when the progressive award pool increments to anon-designated randomly selected threshold value.

In different embodiments, the various components of the system, such asthe point-of-sale terminal, the banking network server, the issuerfinancial institution server, the progressive award server, thenotification server, the online game engine, and/or the game entryengine, each includes one or more interfaces for communicating with eachother utilizing one or more wired connections (such as, but not limitedto: a conventional phone line or other data transmission line, a digitalsubscriber line (DSL), a T-1 line, a coaxial cable, a fiber optic cable)and/or one or more wireless communication protocols (such as, but notlimited to: Bluetooth™ Bluetooth™ Low Energy (“BLE”), one or morecellular communication standards (e.g., 3G, 4G, LTE), one or more Wi-Ficompatible standards, and one or more short range communicationprotocols (e.g., a near field communication (“NFC”) protocol)).

In various embodiments, one or more above-described components of thesystem, such as one or more of the point-of-sale terminal, the bankingnetwork server, the issuer financial institution server, the progressiveaward server, the notification server, the online game engine, and/orthe game entry engine each includes at least one processor. The at leastone processor of these devices is any suitable processing device or setof processing devices, such as a microprocessor, a microcontroller-basedplatform, a suitable integrated circuit, or one or moreapplication-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), configured to executesoftware enabling various configuration and reconfiguration tasks, suchas: (1) communicating with a remote source via a communicationinterface; (2) converting signals read by an interface to a formatcorresponding to that used by software or memory of that device; (3)accessing memory to configure or reconfigure parameters in the memoryaccording to received data; (4) communicating with interfaces and zero,one or more peripheral devices (such as input/output devices); and/or(5) controlling zero, one or more peripheral devices.

In various embodiment, one or more above-described components of thesystem, such as one or more of the point-of-sale terminal, the bankingnetwork server, the issuer financial institution server, the progressiveaward server, the notification server, the online game engine, and/orthe game entry engine each also includes at least one memory device,which includes: (1) volatile memory (e.g., RAM, which can includenon-volatile RAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, and any othersuitable forms); (2) non-volatile memory (e.g., disk memory, FLASHmemory, EPROMs, EEPROMs, memristor-based non-volatile solid-statememory, etc.); (3) unalterable memory (e.g., EPROMs); (4) read-onlymemory; and/or (5) a secondary memory storage device, such as anon-volatile memory device, configured to store software relatedinformation. Any other suitable magnetic, optical, and/or semiconductormemory may operate in conjunction with these devices.

The at least one memory device is configured to store, for example: (1)configuration software, such as all the parameters and settings for thatdevice; (2) associations between configuration indicia received and oneor more parameters and settings; (3) communication protocols configuredto enable the at least one processor to communicate with zero, one ormore peripheral devices; and/or (4) communication transport protocols(such as TCP/IP, USB, Firewire, IEEE1394, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11x (IEEE802.11 standards), hiperlan/2, HomeRF, etc.) configured to enable thedevice to communicate with local and non-local devices using suchprotocols. In one implementation, one or more of such devicescommunicate with other devices using a serial communication protocol.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentdisclosure may be illustrated and described herein in any of a number ofpatentable classes or context including any new and useful process,machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and usefulimprovement thereof. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure maybe implemented entirely hardware, entirely software (including firmware,resident software, micro-code, etc.) or combining software and hardwareimplementation that may all generally be referred to herein as a“circuit,” “module,” “component,” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects ofthe present disclosure may take the form of a computer program productembodied in one or more computer readable media having computer readableprogram code embodied thereon.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of thepresent disclosure may be written in any combination of one or moreprogramming languages, including an object oriented programming languagesuch as Java, Scala, Smalltalk, Eiffel, JADE, Emerald, C++, C#, VB.NET,Python or the like, conventional procedural programming languages, suchas the “C” programming language, Visual Basic, Fortran 2003, Perl, COBOL2002, PHP, ABAP, dynamic programming languages such as Python, Ruby andGroovy, or other programming languages. The program code may executeentirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as astand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partlyon a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. Inthe latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user'scomputer through any type of network, including a local area network(LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to anexternal computer (for example, through the Internet using an InternetService Provider) or in a cloud computing environment or offered as aservice such as a Software as a Service (SaaS).

Aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatuses(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of thedisclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable instruction executionapparatus, create a mechanism for implementing the functions/actsspecified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that when executed can direct a computer, otherprogrammable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function ina particular manner, such that the instructions when stored in thecomputer readable medium produce an article of manufacture includinginstructions which when executed, cause a computer to implement thefunction/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable instruction execution apparatus, or otherdevices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on thecomputer, other programmable apparatuses or other devices to produce acomputer implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

In certain embodiments, the at least one memory device is configured tostore program code and instructions executable by the at least oneprocessor of one or more above-described components of the system, suchas one or more of the point-of-sale terminal, the banking networkserver, the issuer financial institution server, the progressive awardserver, the notification server, the online game engine, and/or the gameentry engine to control that device. The at least one memory device alsostores other operating data, such as image data, event data, input data,random number generators or pseudo-random number generators, and/orapplicable rules that relate to the operation of such devices. Invarious embodiments, part or all of the program code and/or theoperating data described above is stored in at least one detachable orremovable memory device including, but not limited to, a cartridge, adisk, a CD ROM, a DVD, a USB memory device, or any other suitablenon-transitory computer readable medium. In certain such embodiments, anoperator uses such a removable memory device to implement at least partof the present disclosure. In other embodiments, part or all of theprogram code and/or the operating data is downloaded to the at least onememory device through any suitable data network described above (such asan Internet or intranet).

The at least one memory device also stores a plurality of devicedrivers. Examples of different types of device drivers include devicedrivers for components of one or more of the point-of-sale terminal,banking network server, issuer financial institution server, progressiveaward server, notification server, online game engine, game entryengine, and device drivers for the peripheral components. Typically, thedevice drivers utilize various communication protocols that enablecommunication with a particular physical device. The device driverabstracts the hardware implementation of that device. Non-limitingexamples of communication protocols used to implement the device driversinclude Netplex, USB, Serial, Ethernet 175, Firewire, I/O debouncer,direct memory map, serial, PCI, parallel, RF, Bluetooth™, near-fieldcommunications (e.g., using near-field magnetics), 802.11 (WiFi), etc.In one embodiment, when one type of a particular device is exchanged foranother type of the particular device, the at least one processor of theone or more above-described components of the system, such as one ormore of the point-of-sale terminal, the banking network server, theissuer financial institution server, the progressive award server, thenotification server, the online game engine, and/or the game entryengine loads the new device driver from the at least one memory deviceto enable communication with the new device.

In certain embodiments, the software units stored in the at least onememory device can be upgraded as needed. For instance, when the at leastone memory device is a hard drive, new options, new parameters, newsettings for existing parameters, new settings for new parameters, newdevice drivers, and new communication protocols can be uploaded to theat least one memory device from one or more above-described componentsof the system, such as one or more of the point-of-sale terminal, thebanking network server, the issuer financial institution server, theprogressive award server, the notification server, the online gameengine, and/or the game entry engine or from some other external device.As another example, when the at least one memory device includes aCD/DVD drive including a CD/DVD configured to store options, parameters,and settings, the software stored in the at least one memory device canbe upgraded by replacing a first CD/DVD with a second CD/DVD. In yetanother example, when the at least one memory device uses flash memoryor EPROM units configured to store options, parameters, and settings,the software stored in the flash and/or EPROM memory units can beupgraded by replacing one or more memory units with new memory unitsthat include the upgraded software. In another embodiment, one or moreof the memory devices, such as the hard drive, may be employed in asoftware download process from a remote software server.

In some embodiments, the at least one memory device also storesauthentication and/or validation components configured toauthenticate/validate specified components and/or information, such ashardware components, software components, firmware components,peripheral device components, user input device components, informationreceived from one or more user input devices, information stored in theat least one memory device, etc.

In certain embodiments, the peripheral devices include several deviceinterfaces, such as: (1) at least one output device including at leastone display device; (2) at least one input device (which may includecontact and/or non-contact interfaces); (3) at least one transponder;(4) at least one wireless communication component; (5) at least onewired/wireless power distribution component; (6) at least one sensor;(7) at least one data preservation component; (8) at least onemotion/gesture analysis and interpretation component; (9) at least onemotion detection component; (10) at least one portable power source;(11) at least one geolocation module; (12) at least one useridentification module; and (13) at least one information filteringmodule.

The at least one output device includes at least one display deviceconfigured to display any suitable information associated with therewards program disclosed herein. In various embodiments, the displaydevices include, without limitation: a monitor, a television display, aplasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a display based on lightemitting diodes (LEDs), a display based on a plurality of organiclight-emitting diodes (OLEDs), a display based on polymer light-emittingdiodes (PLEDs), a display based on a plurality of surface-conductionelectron-emitters (SEDs), a display including a projected and/orreflected image, or any other suitable electronic device or displaymechanism. In certain embodiments, the display device includes atouch-screen with an associated touch-screen controller. The displaydevices may be of any suitable sizes, shapes, and configurations.

In certain embodiments, the at least one output device is a soundgenerating device controlled by one or more sound cards. In one suchembodiment, the sound generating device includes one or more speakers orother sound generating hardware and/or software configured to generatesounds.

The at least one input device may include any suitable device thatenables an input signal to be produced and received by the at least oneprocessor.

The at least one wireless communication component includes one or morecommunication interfaces having different architectures and utilizing avariety of protocols, such as (but not limited to) 802.11 (WiFi); 802.15(including Bluetooth™); 802.16 (WiMax); 802.22; cellular standards suchas CDMA, CDMA2000, and WCDMA; Radio Frequency (e.g., RFID); infrared;and Near Field Magnetic communication protocols. The at least onewireless communication component transmits electrical, electromagnetic,or optical signals that carry digital data streams or analog signalsrepresenting various types of information.

The at least one wired/wireless power distribution component includescomponents or devices that are configured to provide power to otherdevices. For example, in one embodiment, the at least one powerdistribution component includes a magnetic induction system that isconfigured to provide wireless power to one or more user input devices.In one embodiment, a user input device docking region is provided, andincludes a power distribution component that is configured to recharge auser input device without requiring metal-to-metal contact. In oneembodiment, the at least one power distribution component is configuredto distribute power to one or more internal components, such as one ormore rechargeable power sources (e.g., rechargeable batteries).

In certain embodiments, the at least one sensor includes at least oneof: optical sensors, pressure sensors, RF sensors, infrared sensors,image sensors, thermal sensors, and biometric sensors. The at least onesensor may be used for a variety of functions, such as: detectingmovements and/or gestures of various objects within a predeterminedproximity; detecting the presence and/or identity of various persons(e.g., customers, retail establishment employees, etc.), devices (e.g.,user input devices), and/or systems within a predetermined proximity.

The at least one data preservation component is configured to detect orsense one or more events and/or conditions that, for example, may resultin damage to the one or more above-described components of the system,such as one or more of the point-of-sale terminal, the banking networkserver, the issuer financial institution server, the progressive awardserver, the notification server, the online game engine, and/or the gameentry engine and/or that may result in loss of information.Additionally, the data preservation system may be operable to initiateone or more appropriate action(s) in response to the detection of suchevents/conditions.

The at least one motion/gesture analysis and interpretation component isconfigured to analyze and/or interpret information relating to detectedmovements and/or gestures to determine appropriate input informationrelating to the detected movements and/or gestures. For example, in oneembodiment, the at least one motion/gesture analysis and interpretationcomponent is configured to perform one or more of the followingfunctions: analyze the detected gross motion or gestures of a customer;interpret the customer's motion or gestures to identify instructions orinput from the customer. In other embodiments, at least a portion ofthese additional functions may be implemented at a remote system ordevice.

The at least one portable power source enables the one or moreabove-described components of the system, such as one or more of thepoint-of-sale terminal, the banking network server, the issuer financialinstitution server, the progressive award server, the notificationserver, the online game engine, and/or the game entry engine to operatein a mobile environment. For example, in one embodiment, thepoint-of-sale terminal includes one or more rechargeable batteries.

The at least one geolocation module is configured to acquire geolocationinformation from one or more remote sources and use the acquiredgeolocation information to determine information relating to a relativeand/or absolute position of the one or more above-described componentsof the system, such as one or more of the point-of-sale terminal, thebanking network server, the issuer financial institution server, theprogressive award server, the notification server, the online gameengine, and/or the game entry engine. For example, in oneimplementation, the at least one geolocation module is configured toreceive GPS signal information for use in determining the position orlocation of a point-of-sale terminal. In another example, the at leastone geolocation module is configured to receive multiple wirelesssignals from multiple remote devices and use the signal information tocompute position/location information relating to the position orlocation of the point-of-sale terminal.

The at least one information filtering module is configured to performfiltering (e.g., based on specified criteria) of selected information tobe displayed at one or more displays.

In various embodiments, the one or more above-described components ofthe system, such as one or more of the point-of-sale terminal, thebanking network server, the issuer financial institution server, theprogressive award server, the notification server, the online gameengine, and/or the game entry engine includes a plurality ofcommunication ports configured to enable the at least one processor tocommunicate with and to operate with external peripherals, such as:accelerometers, arcade sticks, bar code readers, bill validators,biometric input devices, button panels, card readers, display screens orother displays or video sources, expansion buses, information panels,keypads, lights, mass storage devices, microphones, motion sensors,motors, printers, SCSI ports, solenoids, speakers, thumbsticks, ticketreaders, touch screens, trackballs, touchpads, wheels, and wirelesscommunication devices.

As indicated above, in certain embodiments, a customer redeems one ormore game entries via a play of an online game. In these embodiments,the system includes one or more servers configured to communicate with apersonal gaming device—such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, adesktop computer, or a laptop computer—to enable web-based game playusing the personal gaming device. In various embodiments, the customermust first access a gaming website via an Internet browser of thepersonal gaming device or execute an application (commonly called an“app”) installed on the personal gaming device before the customer canuse the personal gaming device to redeem one or more game entries viaparticipating in web-based game play. In certain embodiments, the one ormore servers and the personal gaming device operate in a thin-clientenvironment. In these embodiments, the personal gaming device receivesinputs via one or more input devices (such as a touch screen and/orphysical buttons), the personal gaming device sends the received inputsto the one or more servers, the one or more servers make variousdeterminations based on the inputs and determine content to be displayed(such as a randomly determined game outcome and corresponding award),the one or more servers send the content to the personal gaming device,and the personal gaming device displays the content.

In certain such embodiments, the one or more servers must identify thecustomer before enabling game play on the personal gaming device toredeem one or more game entries. In these embodiments, the customer mustidentify herself to the one or more servers, such as by inputting thecustomer's unique username and password combination (or in any othermanners described above.

Once identified, the one or more servers enable the customer to play oneor more online games in association with the redemption of one or moregame entries to determine whether or not the customer won theprogressive award. In certain embodiments, if the customer won theprogressive award, the one or more servers enable the customer toinitiate an electronic funds transfer to transfer funds to one or moreaccounts associated with the customer.

In certain embodiments, the one or more servers enable web-based gameplay using a personal gaming device only if the personal gaming devicesatisfies one or more jurisdictional requirements. In one embodiment,the one or more servers enable web-based game play using the personalgaming device only if the personal gaming device is located within adesignated geographic area (such as within certain state or countylines). In this embodiment, the geolocation module of the personalgaming device determines the location of the personal gaming device andsends the location to the one or more servers, which determine whetherthe personal gaming device is located within the designated geographicarea.

In certain embodiments, as indicated above, the system is configured tonotify a customer regarding winning a progressive award (or potentiallywinning a progressive award) in association with a qualifying purchasevia one or more social network postings. In these embodiments, thesystem is configured to communicate with a social network server thathosts or partially hosts a social networking website via a data network(such as the Internet) to integrate the rewards program disclosed hereinwith the customer's social networking account. This enables the systemto send certain information to the social network server that the socialnetwork server can use to create content (such as text, an image, and/ora video) and post it to the customer's wall, newsfeed, or similar areaof the social networking website accessible by the customer'sconnections (and in certain cases the public) such that the customer'sconnections can view that information. This also enables the system toreceive certain information from the social network server, such as thecustomer's likes or dislikes or the customer's list of connections. Incertain embodiments, the system enables the customer to link thecustomer's customer account to the customer's social networkingaccount(s). This enables the system to, once it identifies the customerand initiates a gaming session to redeem game entries (such as via thecustomer logging in to a website (or an application) on the customer'spersonal gaming device, link that gaming session to the customer'ssocial networking account(s). In other embodiments, the system enablesthe customer to link the customer's social networking account(s) toindividual gaming sessions when desired by providing the required logininformation.

For instance, in one embodiment, if a customer wins a particular award(e.g., a progressive award or a jackpot award associated with aqualifying purchase), the system sends information about the award tothe social network server to enable the server to create associatedcontent (such as a screenshot of the award) and to post that content tothe customer's wall (or other suitable area) of the social networkingwebsite for the customer's connections to see (and to entice them tojoin the rewards program).

Various changes and modifications to the present embodiments describedherein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes andmodifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe present subject matter and without diminishing its intendedadvantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modificationsbe covered by the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:
 1. A system comprising: aprocessor; and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructionsthat, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: responsiveto receiving data of an approved purchase associated with a financialaccount maintained by a financial institution, contribute an amount to afinancial account reward pool, the amount contributed to the financialaccount reward pool being based on a purchase contribution rate and anamount of the approved purchase, wherein the amount of the approvedpurchase is greater than the amount contributed to the financial accountreward pool, and responsive to the approved purchase being associatedwith an occurrence of a randomly determined triggering event: determine,based on the financial account reward pool, an amount of a financialaccount reward, the amount of financial account reward being greaterthan the amount of the approved purchase, and cause the amount of thefinancial account reward to be available to be provided to a customerassociated with the financial account.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereinwhen executed by the processor responsive to the approved purchase notbeing associated with any occurrence of any randomly determinedtriggering event, the instructions cause the processor to not determineany financial account reward.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein whenexecuted by the processor responsive to receiving data of the approvedpurchase associated with the financial account maintained by thefinancial institution, the instructions cause the processor to notcontribute any amount to a financial reward account associated with thefinancial account.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the amount of thefinancial account reward is a multiple of the amount of the approvedpurchase.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the amount of the financialaccount reward is less than an amount of the financial account rewardpool.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the randomly determinedtriggering event occurs when the financial account reward pool hasincremented to at least a randomly determined threshold value.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the randomly determined triggering eventoccurs responsive to receiving data of the approved purchase within aperiod of time following a randomly determined point in time.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the financial account is any of a credit cardaccount, a debit card account, and a pre-paid debit card account.
 9. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein causing the amount of the financial accountreward to be available to be provided to the customer associated withthe financial account comprises communicating fund data associated withthe amount of the financial account reward to the financial accountmaintained by the financial institution.
 10. A system comprising: aprocessor; and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructionsthat, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: responsiveto receiving data of an approved purchase associated with a financialaccount maintained by a financial institution: contribute an amount to afinancial account reward pool, the amount contributed to the financialaccount reward pool being based on a purchase contribution rate and anamount of the approved purchase, wherein the amount of the approvedpurchase is greater than the amount contributed to the financial accountreward pool and the amount contributed to the financial account rewardpool is in addition to any amount contributed to a financial rewardaccount associated with the financial account, and associate a gameentry with the financial account, responsive to the game entryassociated with the financial account randomly determined to be awinning game entry: determine, based on the financial account rewardpool, an amount of a financial account reward, the amount of financialaccount reward being greater than the amount of the approved purchase,and cause the amount of the financial account reward to be available tobe provided to a customer associated with the financial account, andresponsive to the game entry associated with the financial accountrandomly determined to be a losing game entry, not determine any amountof any financial account reward.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein theamount of the financial account reward is less than an amount of thefinancial account reward pool.
 12. A method of operating a system, themethod comprising: responsive to receiving data of an approved purchaseassociated with a financial account maintained by a financialinstitution, contributing, by a processor, an amount to a financialaccount reward pool, the amount contributed to the financial accountreward pool being based on a purchase contribution rate and an amount ofthe approved purchase, wherein the amount of the approved purchase isgreater than the amount contributed to the financial account rewardpool, and responsive to the approved purchase being associated with anoccurrence of a randomly determined triggering event: determining, bythe processor and based on the financial account reward pool, an amountof a financial account reward, the amount of financial account rewardbeing greater than the amount of the approved purchase, and causing theamount of the financial account reward to be available to be provided toa customer associated with the financial account.
 13. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising, responsive to the approved purchase notbeing associated with any occurrence of any randomly determinedtriggering event, not determining any financial account reward.
 14. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising, responsive to receiving data ofthe approved purchase associated with the financial account maintainedby the financial institution, not contributing any amount to a financialreward account associated with the financial account.
 15. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the amount of the financial account reward is amultiple of the amount of the approved purchase.
 16. The method of claim12, wherein the amount of the financial account reward is less than anamount of the financial account reward pool.
 17. The method of claim 12,wherein the randomly determined triggering event occurs when thefinancial account reward pool has incremented to at least a randomlydetermined threshold value.
 18. The method of claim 12, wherein therandomly determined triggering event occurs responsive to receiving dataof the approved purchase within a period of time following a randomlydetermined point in time.
 19. The method of claim 12, wherein thefinancial account is any of a credit card account, a debit card account,and a pre-paid debit card account.
 20. The method of claim 12, whereincausing the amount of the financial account reward to be available to beprovided to the customer associated with the financial account comprisescommunicating fund data associated with the amount of the financialaccount reward to the financial account maintained by the financialinstitution.